Endangered animals seized from smugglers in the Philippines

Dozens of endangered animals were seized from illegal traders in the Philippines on Wednesday, according to a police official who spoke to EPA. Manila Police intelligence chief Ernesto Fojas said authorities seized 50 talking myna birds, one serpent eagle and 30 Asian box turtles from the accused traders, who were named as Luz Estacio, James Ferolino and Jake Vargas. All three species are considered critically endangered in the Philippines, facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild, according to EPA.

Francis R. Malasig / EPA

Myna birds seized from illegal traders are seen inside a police station in Manila, the Philippines on August 18. Several endangered animal species were seized from three illegal traders in Manila on Wednesday, a police official said.

Francis R. Malasig / EPA

Accused trader Luz Estacio sits inside a jail as she looks at a serpent eagle, one of the seized animals, at a police station in Manila on August 18.

Cheryl Ravelo / Reuters

An Asian box turtle is tagged by a veterinarian at the Manila zoo on August 18. Police turned over the animals seized from smugglers to the Manila zoo, according to authorities.